Tuesday, May 4

Every Other Day is Halloween - Reviewed

I first met Curtis Prather back in the early 2000’s in Dayton Ohio at an all-night movie marathon. I was struck by the passion Curtis had not just for horror movies but horror hosting as well. Curtis is one of those guys who have no ambitions in front of a camera, but behind the lens is another story. For better than a decade he has produced THE SPOOKY MOVIE, hosted by Dr. Sarcofiguy (just love that name) a.k.a. John Dimes, Washington D.C.’s host with the most.

In addition he has helped out on a variety of other hosted shows, most recently producing the award winning MONSTER MADHOUSE hosted by Karlos Borloff and his band of crazies. As if that wasn’t enough, Curtis is also the brains behind Washington D.C.’s SPOOKY MOVIE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, now in its 5th year, and an author of a soon to be published novel called UNDERPANTS OF THE DEAD.

I recently received a screener copy of EVERY OTHER DAY IS HALLOWEEN, a documentary on the life and career of Washington D.C.’s legendary horror host Count Gore DeVol. This documentary was written, produced and edited by none other than Curtis Prather himself, a man I consider infinitely qualified to head such a project. So it was with great anticipation that I finally sat down to watch this documentary.

Count Gore DeVol is a horror host played by actor Dick Dyszel. I first met Dick in 1999 in Chicago, shortly after I had begun my own path as a TV horror host. At the time I didn’t know any other hosts existed until I received an email one day from Dick. Count Gore is a Transylvanian vampire whose name is a takeoff of Gore Vidal. He first started hosting movies in the early 1970’s at a small station in Padukah, KY before moving to Washington, D.C.

This documentary traces the career of Dick Dyszel from those early days to the present. It chronicles his career not just as the Count, but also as kids hosts Bozo and Captain 20, both characters that Dyszel played at station 20 in D.C. Dyszel hosted three separate programs before cutting back to just Count Gore in the late 70’s. He was off the air for a while but returned for a second run during the 1980’s. Most recently Count Gore has moved his show onto the World Wide Web where he broadcasts a weekly web program. He won a Rondo Award last year for Best Horror Host.

Various coworkers, friends, associates and viewers share their stories and fond memories of watching Dyszel at work through the years. You get a real sense of just how much influence his characters had on his viewers. Vintage footage of Dick as all three characters is woven throughout the documentary as it moves chronologically through his career. The footage is a real treat to see, much of it being unveiled for the first time since initially airing in the 1970s.

My main criticism of EVERY OTHER DAY IS HALLOWEEN is the fact that there are actually two separate documentaries rolled into one here. There is the story of Dick Dyszel and his career through the years, and there is the story of the horror hosts that have followed in Gore’s footsteps. At some point in the documentary it sort of changes gears and shifts to these other hosts, and stays on this topic for a pretty good length of time before returning to Count Gore’s story. However, you get the feeling there is more to tell here, and I’d like to see it flushed out more. Each subject is equally interesting and worthy of its own separate documentary.

EVERY OTHER DAY IS HALLOWEEN is a warm-hearted look at a man whose passion for performing has kept him going for close to four decades. Producer/Director Curtis Prather grew up watching Count Gore on television, and this is his loving tribute to his childhood hero. The disc is packed with extras, including complete segments of many of the vintage clips shown throughout the documentary.